Building bridges through education

Education plays a key role in connecting cultures and fostering tolerance. Our first report takes us to Morocco where a non-profit organisation aims to bring American and Moroccan students together. The Crossing Borders Education programme, set up in 2003, aims to tackle religious and cultural prejudice.

The idea is to encourage young people to discuss their differences, and try to crosscheck preconceived ideas. In the past eight years, Crossing Borders has set up 250 intercultural exchanges with Morocco and thousands of young people have taken part.

Students who have become refugees or asylum seekers, either because of war or for political reasons, may have to sacrifice their education. But in Canada some of those students now have the opportunity to pursue their studies in an environment free of violence and fear by getting university sponsorship from the World University Service in Canada.

Every year campuses across the country sponsor over 60 new student refugees through the programme. A support group helps refugee students find their feet, sort out their university admission papers, and financial affairs, as well as helping them find accommodation, and new friends.

Not all applications are accepted, and very few refugee girls have enough education to apply for the programme in the first place. It is estimated that there are around 16 million refugees across the world. For the lucky few the World University Service in Canada is a life-changer.

Prejudice still exists between the indigenous and non-indigenous people of Australia. A recent national survey in Australia showed that 71 percent of the population thinks that prejudice still exists between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, who represent 2.5 percent of the population.

You, Me and Us is a nationwide arts competition that aims to make students explore reconciliation in a creative way and to promote positive attitudes amongst Australians of various origins.